An Israeli army commander has been relieved of his post after
being charged with torturing a young Palestinian boy in Bethlehem
while interrogating him as to the whereabouts of his father.

Lieutenant Colonel Geva Saguy is awaiting a court martial on several
charges, including ordering the boy to strip naked, holding a burning
paper under his testicles, threatening to ram a bottle into his
anus and threatening to shoot him. The boy's name and age have not
been revealed.

A military court was told that Lt Col Saguy was trying to obtain
information about the boy's father - described as a "wanted
Palestinian" - during the army's invasion of Bethlehem in April.
Lt Col Saguy was charged with extortion, behaviour unbecoming an
officer and exceeding his authority to the point of endangering
human life.

He was relieved of his post on the orders of the military court
after it turned down a request for the charges to be thrown out.
The army had resisted the move for several months.

A sergeant is accused of translating Lt Col Saguy's threats into
Arabic and of beating the youth.

The Israeli army says Lt Col Saguy was reported by other officers
who declined to serve under him after his maltreatment of the Palestinian
boy.